moon_guardfandomcom-20200213-history
Wintertide Vale
Wintertide Vale, or some times shortened to Winter Vale, is one of the many valleys located within the mountain range known as the Alterac Mountains. Entirely landlocked, and surrounded by mountains, the only way to enter the vale is through aptly named Wintertide Pass, a dwarven tunnel that opens up into the northeast region of the vale. Geography Much like the rest of Alterac, the region is snow-capped, with a year-long winter season. The vale is mostly a flat basin with a few ridges that begin at the northeast pass. To the northern center of the vale, lies a frozen lake known as Rimehelm Loch by the dwarves of the region. To the southwest, lies the Icebarrow Quarry that is rich in granite and silver. History The vale has been home to dwarves and human alike since the later days of the Arathorian Empire. The first recorded arrival of people came from dwarves, which hailed from Clan Bronzebeard during the rule of High King Modimus Anvilmar, whom founded the dwarven fortress of Dun Kestaz. Soon after, the split of the Arathorian Empire came and with it, humans traveling north and founding the nation of Alterac within the snowy peaks. There was little quarrel between the dwarves and humans as the two traded frequently and got along on good terms, mostly because the dwarves kept to themselves. As time passed, civil war broke between the three major clans of Ironforge. Little to no fighting occurred in the vale, as business carried on as usual. Sooner or later, the dwarves of the region became more or less cut off from the political ties of their southern kin and eventually became a clan in their own right, accumulating wealth from their mining and ram-breeding. These dwarves were known as the Stormpike Clan. The humans of Alterac began to settle in the vale with little rebuttal from the dwarves, as they brought in more wealth and helped the vale grow prosperous. They founded the fortified town of Havenstead and the neighboring village. The particular family of dwarves that lived nearby became close to the people of Havenstead, trading their techniques in blacksmithing in turn for being taught a newly found magic known as The Light. Many of the dwarves in the region learned this holy magic, becoming well-taught from the humans and thus passing down the knowledge to the future generations onward. The family later named themselves the Lightbeards. By the time of the second war, both the people of Dun Kestaz and Havenstead were heavily invested in the Alliance war effort and were shocked to learn of the betrayal of Lord Aiden Perenolde. This ushered in the longest conflict known to the region beyond the second war, where the Orcs of the Frostwolf Clan settled in the neighboring valleys. The Stormpike Clan created the expedition to search for relics of the past, with many Lightbeards joining in. As a result, war broke out against the Frostwolves in an effort to reclaim Alterac. Main Exports Icebarrow Quarry'' remains the region's main source of income, as it houses rich deposits of silver and granite stone used for building dwarven structures. The Lightbeard family of Dun Kestaz also have a ranch, where they breed rams used for riding and for the Stormpike Clan. '' Notable Residents Foghas Lightbeard - Knight-Paladin and Stone General of the Dwarven Vanguard. Category:Stormpike Clan Category:Alterac Locations Category:Alterac Mountains Locations